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Chyhyrtma (chyhyrtma) from chicken

Chikhirtma — Azerbaijani Chicken and Egg Stew

A dish from Azerbaijani cuisine — vivid, tender, and very tasty! It's a delicate, souffle-like dish with a filling, somewhere between a stew and an omelet. You can make it with meat or poultry, with just vegetables, or with vegetables and meat together — everyone has their own version. Chicken chikhirtma stands on its own; it's built on pre-boiled poultry (since you'll need the broth), though raw chicken works too. Some people use fillets, others prefer bone-in pieces. It's up to you — cook it to your own taste.

Panda

Recipe author

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Chicken

400

Eggs

Onion

300

Tomatoes

Butter

Chicken broth

250

Lemon juice

Fresh herbs

Turmeric

Salt

Ground black pepper

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 40 % 8 g

Fats 45 % 9 g

Carbohydrates 15 % 3 g

127 kcal

GI: 100 / 0 / 0

Cooking method

Step 1:

About the chicken: you can use a whole bird, cut up and using different parts. Some prefer breast fillet, but the meat is a bit dry for me. I used thighs — it would be better, of course, to bone them and cook thigh fillet, but this time I was feeling lazy. :) Chikhirtma is built on cooked meat, since you'll need broth, but fried or roasted chicken tastes better.
Step 2:

I already had broth on hand, so I decided to fry the pieces. Rinse and pat them dry, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and lay them in a skillet heated with half the butter. You don't need to cook the chicken all the way through — it will finish as it braises in the sauce and turn tender and juicy.
Step 3:

Meanwhile, peel and chop the onion. You want a lot of onion, cut very finely, almost minced. Mash it lightly and add a little salt — it brings out the flavor.
Step 4:

Add the remaining butter and the onion to a skillet. Sweat it over below-medium, almost low heat so the onion gently melts down — it should turn translucent and start to caramelize. Stir now and then, mashing it with a spatula until it's nearly a purée. Cook for 20–30 minutes.
Step 5:

Peel the tomatoes by pouring boiling water over them, then cold water — the skins will slip right off. Chop them as finely as you can.
Step 6:

Add the tomatoes to the onion, pour in the lemon juice and a third of the broth, stir, and simmer, covered, for another 15 minutes, mashing with a spatula.
Step 7:

Stir in the turmeric. You can swap it for saffron, which is even better. Mix well.
Step 8:

Add the fried chicken pieces to the onion and pour in the broth (I always keep some in the freezer). If the broth is salty, you may not need to add more salt; if you're using water or unsalted broth, season it — but remember the chicken and onion are already salted. Braise, covered, for 25–30 minutes. If there's a lot of sauce left, uncover and cook off the excess liquid for about 15 minutes, stirring now and then.
Step 9:

Wash, dry, and finely chop the herbs (green onion, dill, parsley, and cilantro). You can scatter them over the finished dish, or do what I do...
Step 10:

Crack the eggs into a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the herbs and whisk everything together.
Step 11:

Pour the egg mixture into the pan a little at a time, trying to spread it over the whole surface. DO NOT STIR! Over low heat, uncovered, without letting it boil, cook until the eggs set and thicken. You can pierce the omelet with a fork and gently lift it where the egg hasn't set yet.
Step 12:

IMPORTANT — DON'T OVERCOOK IT! The mixture should stay moist, tender, airy, and soft.
Step 13:

And here's the payoff — tender, juicy chicken in an airy egg-and-onion souffle! Treat your loved ones. Enjoy!